Real-Life Communication
You are a psychologist and you have a patient who is still grieving
the death of her cousin. She tells you that anxiety over the death is interfering
with her schoolwork. She came to you for help.
You spend two days listening
to her problems. You suggest some stress management exercises she may want
to do that may ease her anxiety over this problem.
"If they want, I
would give them suggestions to give them some possibilities, but I would always
let them make the choice rather than telling them what they should do," says
psychologist Lorne Prupas.
"Even if I think there is something that
they might benefit from, I am always still thinking of providing them with
choice. The traditional advice of 'you should do one thing' I stay away from
completely, but I do give some possible suggestions."
Once your patient
chooses to learn about some stress and management techniques, you will have
to teach them one that would fit their situation and circumstances. You decide
to try the safe place imagery exercise.
First, try to relax the patient.
You use deep breathing to get them to relax. Once they are in their most relaxed
state, you tell them to imagine a place, real or imaginary, that they want
to be in. Then you ask them specific questions about the place: what do they
see, hear, feel or smell?
This is to help them relive
that particular place which is very meaningful to them. It will help them
calm down and give them an image they can access whenever they are feeling
stress.
Explain this to the patient.